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Virginia unemployment claims rise amid federal layoffs
A recent spike in Virginia unemployment claims can likely be traced to sweeping federal layoffs under the second Trump administration. For the week ending May 3, the number of individuals filing initial claims for unemployment was 2,720, according to a Thursday news release from the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, which is also known as Virginia Works. That’s an 8.1% increase in claims over the previous week and an 8.9% increase over a comparable week in 2024.
Citizens Warn of Data Center Impacts in Rural Virginia
What started as a community conversation quickly turned into a passionate call to action. On Saturday afternoon, May 10th, Warren County residents met at the Warren County Community Center to hear firsthand how data centers—the massive, windowless facilities that power cloud computing and artificial intelligence—are reshaping rural Virginia. For many in the room, it was the first time they had heard the full scope of the issue.
Hampton Roads leaders, businesses fear loss of clean energy tax credits
About a decade ago, retired Navy doctor Doug McNeill started getting online advertisements from residential solar companies and decided to do some research. After weighing the costs and benefits of installing a solar system, he chose to put up a 28-panel array on a detached garage at his home in Chesapeake. One big financial factor in McNeill’s calculation was the Solar Investment Tax Credit, which saved him almost $8,000 in upfront costs. “That brought it down by at least a quarter, which made it an easy decision,” he said.
Virginia and East coast fishery managers remain vigilant over status of Atlantic striped bass
Virginia fishery managers and others from Maine to North Carolina, as well as members of the public, convened on Tuesday to decide the next steps to protect the future of Atlantic striped bass, a valued and remarkable animal facing consecutive years of low spawning success and an overfished stock. Atlantic striped bass have been referred to as “everyman’s fish” because they are caught by such a wide population of anglers up and down the coast, said Alex McCrickard, the aquatic education coordinator for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Petersburg-based nurse worked for years with fake credentials before Virginia suspended license
A Petersburg-based nurse who never earned a legitimate nursing degree or completed the clinical hours required by Virginia law worked in hospitals and care facilities for more than two years before the state took action to suspend his license. Michael Sim Turay — also known as Mohamed Ishmael Turay — applied for his Virginia license in October 2020, claiming he had completed a registered nursing program at Jay College of Health Sciences in Florida. But according to documents from the Virginia Department of Health, Turay never graduated from the school and instead purchased a fraudulent diploma and transcript from Jay College’s owner, Ejike Asiegbunam.
Curran announces write-in bid for lieutenant governor
John Curran, who did not qualify for the GOP primary for lieutenant governor, announced Monday that he is launching a write-in campaign for the general election in November. "My decision is not to split the ticket but to save it," Curran said in a statement, apparently referring to the controversy over John Reid, the party's nominee for lieutenant governor. He added: "This decision is not about my opponent being gay."
Legislature narrows use of noncompetes
In recent years, federal and state governments have embraced a push toward restricting the use of noncompete agreements by employers, most notably with the ultimately unsuccessful 2024 Federal Trade Commission rule that attempted to ban noncompetes nationwide. While noncompetes are still enforceable in Virginia, recent legislation passed by the General Assembly will further narrow which employees can be subject to noncompetes. During the Legislature’s regular session earlier this year, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 1218, which expands the definition of “low-wage employee” to an employee who is entitled to overtime compensation under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
Behind the scenes of Vice President and Mrs. Vance’s surprise visit to Little Washington
When innkeeper Amanda Huff answered the phone at the Foster Harris House bed and breakfast last Friday morning to take a lodging reservation for the next night, she never could have imagined to whom she would be serving her fresh-baked ginger scones less than 48 hours later. She wasn’t given a guest’s name for the room reservation. The person on the other end of the line only said that the guest was a “protectee” of the U.S. Secret Service.
Virginia House Speaker Scott joins national Democratic campaign board
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, is joining the board of directors of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), the national party’s state-level strategy arm, just as Virginia enters one of its most consequential election years in recent memory. The DLCC will draw on Scott’s experience — alongside that of six other new board members from around the country — to help shape its plans to support state legislative races this year and beyond.
Virginia overhauls SOL testing to boost student achievement
In a rare moment of bipartisan agreement on education policy, Virginia leaders have enacted sweeping changes to the state’s K-12 testing system, aiming to raise student performance and make the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments more meaningful. Despite ongoing political clashes over broader education policy, Gov. Glenn Youngkin and state lawmakers united earlier this month behind a plan they hope will strengthen student outcomes.